A VOYAGE TO 
210 
177?. made it neceffary to fet all the fail we could, in order to 
January^, c } ear t k e f nore . f Q that, before we had tolerable fea-room* 
we were driven fome diftance to leeward. We made a ftretch 
off, with a view to regain the road; but having very little 
wind, and a ftrong current againft us, I found, that this was 
not to be effected. I therefore difpatched Meflrs. King and 
Williamfon afliore, with three boats, for water, and to trade 
for refrelhments. At the fame time, I fent an order to Cap¬ 
tain Gierke, to put to fea after me, if he fhould fee that I 
could not recover the road. Being in hopes of finding one* 
or perhaps a harbour, at the Weft end of the ifland, I was 
the lefs anxious about getting back to my former ftation* 
But as I had fent the boats thither, we kept to windward as 
much as poflible; notwithftanding which, at noon, we were 
three leagues to leeward. As we drew near the Weft end of 
the ifland, we found the coaft to round gradually to the 
North Eaft, without forming a creek, or cove, to fhelter a 
veffel from the force of the fwell, which rolled in from the 
North, and broke upon’the fliore in a prodigious furf; fo 
that all hopes of finding a harbour here vanilhed 
Several canoes came off in the morning, and followed us 
as we flood out to fea, bartering their roots and other ar¬ 
ticles. Being very averfe to believe thefe people to be can¬ 
nibals, notwithftanding the fufpicious circumftance which 
had happened the day before, we took occafion now to make 
fome more inquiries about this. A fmall wooden inftru- 
ment, befet with fharks teeth, had been purchafed; and 
from its refemblance to the faw or knife uled by the New 
Zealanders, to diffeft the bodies of their enemies, it was 
fufpedted to have the fame ufe here. One of the natives 
being a Iked about this, immediately gave the name of the 
inftrurnent, and told us, that it was ufed to cut out the 
flefhy 
